Guard for ejection opening in breech slide of firearm



Dec. 15, 1959 D. R. HELLsTRoM 2,916,844

GUARD FOR EJECTION OPENING lIN BREECH SLIDE OF FIREARM `Filed July 22, 1957 Unit l GUARD Fon nrncrrois oPaNlNG ns BREECH SLIDEFFIREARM v'.DouglasR. Hellstrom, Wellesley Hills, Mass., assignor to Smith and Wesson Inc., Springtield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts This invention relates to automatic and semiautomatic on a frame and is enclosed by a breech block or slide which is shdably mounted on the frame so as to move between'a normal position and a retracted position. The

breech block is actuated by the explosion of a cartridgeV aten rice f longitudinal tongues y11 which engage in grooves 21 on the sliding breech block 2 and guide itin rearward and forward motion. The barrel 3 is held within the breech slide 2 and is limited in movement with the breech slide v by a pin 12 extending through the frame 1. The breech slide has an ejection port 22 opening from the barrel outwardly on the right-hand side of the breech block. When a cartridge in the barrel 3 is red the slide 2 moves rearwardly until the ejection port 22 has moved to the rear of the breech of the barrel, at which time ejection mechanism expels a spent cartridge through the ejection port.

In the normal position shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the ejection port is adjacentthe barrel with a slight clearance between the breech slide 2 and the barrel 3. ln this position dust particles can collect or ice can form on the edges of the ejection port, and during the ejection movement of the lbreech slide these particles fall into the mechanism, tending to jam the mechanism, and in some cases prevent the breech block from sliding on the barrel and the frame.

To prevent the entry of foreign material a guard 4,

shown separately in Figs. 4 to 7, is provided which comprises a sheet of stamped metal having a generally U- lshaped cross-section as shown in Fig. 5. The guard is in the barrel and caused to retract, thereby extracting the,

li spent cartridge from the barrel andejecting it through a 1 port in the breech block. Thereafter the breech block 'is urged forwardly by a spring so asto insert a fresh cart fridge in the barrel in well-known manner.

For normal firing conditions automatic pistols should have close tolerances between the moving parts, such as the breech slide, the magazine and firing mechanism. However, under adverse conditions, for instance in an environment of icy or dusty weather, particles of ice, sand or the like are blown or fall into the weapon through the ejection opening of the breech block, resulting in jamming of the operating parts or of the cartridge in its travel from the magazine to the barrel. The resultant jamming necessitates breaking down the weapon and cleaning the parts. Obviously the diculty is intolerable under combat conditions yand has prevented the use of high quality weapons in desert areas.

Accordingly, the primary object of rthe invention is to provide a guard for the breech block ejection port which prevents the entry of foreign particles through the ejection port, but which permits normal operation of the weapon, and which is economical to manufacture and simply attached to standard weapons.

According to the invention a firearm comprises a thin, metal plate iitting snugly over the breech block and covering said port when said block is in forward position, said guard being shaped to permit the block to slide relatively thereto, and means anchoring the guard relative to said frame to hold the web stationary relative to the frame, so that said port is exposed only when said block is in retracted position.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a left side elevation of an automatic pistol;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a left side elevation of the ejection port guard shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the guard;

Fig. 6 is a right side elevation; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view.

The pistol shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a frame 1 onwhich is mounted a sliding breech block 2 and a barrel 3 as in the copending application of Joseph W. Norman, Serial No. 536,487, tiled September 26, 1955, now Patent No. 2,846,925. The frame 1 has formed so as to closely -fit the exterior surfaces of the y breech slide 2. At the lower or free end of the guard are two inturned anges 41 which fit under the lower exterior edges 23 of the breech slide 2. As shown in Figs.,.2 and 3 the guard l4" completely covers the ejection port-when the breech slide is in the normal position, yet permits the breech slide to move through the guard 4. To prevent the guard 4 from sliding with the breech slide the guard is provided with an ear 42 extending downwardly from one leg 40 of the guard. The ear 42 is formed to lie parallel to the plane of the side Wall 10 of the frame 1 as shown in Fig. 3, and a circular opening 43 is provided in the ear 42, the opening being adapted to receive one end of the pin 12 which passes through the frame 1.

The guard 4 is very easily attached to a standard pistol by slightly loosening and retracting the pin 12 until its nose lies flush with the wall 10 of the frame 1. The guard 4 which is of slightly flexible material can then be snapped over the front end of the breech slide so that it embraces the slide with its inturned anges 41 engaged under the lower edges 23 of the slide. The guard is then moved rearwardly until the circular opening 43 registers with the end of the pin 12, at which time the pin 12 may be returned to the position shown in Fig. 3 in which it engages the ear 42 and holds the guard xed with reference to the frame 1. The guard may be applied from the top of the slide instead of the front by further flexing the guard sufficiently for the inturned flanges 41 to clear the slide.

The ejection port is thus normally covered by the guard 4 so as to prevent the formation of ice or ice particles or dust or sand at the ejection port and the portion of the barrel exposed by the ejection port. However, when the breech slide is moved rearwardly by the explosion of a cartridge in the barrel the ejection port portion of the breech slide moves outside the guard 4, and permits normal ejection.

Despite the simplicity of the guard it is apparent that it may be easily and effectively applied to a pistol or like weapon without modification of the weapon itself, and yet the guard does not in any way interfere with normal operation of the weapon and performs its protective function without unduly adding to the weight of the weapon or interfering with the aiming or operation thereof.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modications and equivalents which fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

i1. A firearm comprising a frame, on the frame a barrel, a breech slide enclosing the barrel and having an ejection port which is opposite `the barrel when the slide is in firing position and behind the barrel when the slide is retracted, and a guard mounted on the frame over the slide so as to cover said port when the slide is `in tiring position, said guard being shaped to permit the slide to move relatively thereto, and means for anchoring the guard relative to the frame to hold the guard stationary, whereby said port is exposed only when the slide retracts.

2. A firearm comprising a frame, on the frame a barrel containing a cartridge chamber at its rear end, a breech slide having its forward end telescoping over the barrel and having,` in its telescoping end, an ejection opening which is opposite the barrel when the slide is in tiring position and behind the barrel when the slide is retracted, and a guard mounted on the frame to cover said opening when the slide is in firing position but not when the slide is in retracted position, the guard being U-shaped with inturned anges at the free ends of its legs engaging the frame.

3. A firearm comprising a frame, on the frame a barrel containing a cartridge chamber at its rear end, a breech slide having its forward end telescoping over the barrel and having, in its telescoping end an ejection opening which is opposite the barrel when the slide is in ring position and behind the barrel when the slide is retracted, a guard mounted on the frame to cover said opening when the slide is in iring position, the guard being U-shaped with inturned flanges at the free ends of its legs, and means to anchor one of said anges to the frame.

4. A firearm comprising a frame, on the frame a barrel containing a cartridge chamber at its rear end, a breech is in retracted position, the guard being U-shaped with inturned flanges at the free ends of its legs engaging the frame, said U-shaped guard being resilient so that it can be snapped over the slide.

5. A rearm comprising a frame, on the frame a barrel containing a cartridge chamber at its rear end, a breech slide having its forward end telescoping over the barrel and having, in its telescoping end an ejection opening which is opposite the barrel when the slide is in ring position and behind the barrel when the slide is retracted, a guard mounted on the frame to cover said opening when the slide is in ring position, the guard being U-shaped with inturned flanges at the free ends of its legs, and means to anchor one of said flanges to the frame, said U-shaped guard being resilient so that it can be snapped over the slide.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,523,067 Hazelton Ian. 13,'1925 1,878,038 Frommer Septv 20, 1932 2,428,683 Sampson et al Oct. 7, 1947 2,640,396 Grebey June 2, 1953 

